Drive or Fly: Chicago, IL to Virginia, IL?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Driving wins

Medium

No scheduled commercial flights found for MDW–SPI. At 227 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 32m

Distance

227.1 mi

Total Cost

$85

CO2

92 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$50

Hotel (1 room, 0 nights) $0

Meals (1 pax, 1 day) $35

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Comfortable one-day drive

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

+ Likely faster door-to-door than flying

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 16m

22m in the air

Air Distance

187 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

48 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Chicago, IL → MDW 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 22m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SPI → Virginia, IL 44m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Chicago, IL MDW — Chicago Midway International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

Virginia, IL SPI — Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport 29 mi, ~44m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MDW and SPI. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

4h 39m

3h 2m on rail

Total Cost

$36

CO2

10 kg

Route

Lincoln Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Chicago, IL → Chicago Union Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 182m

Arrival 10m

Springfield → Virginia, IL 47m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $36) $36

Estimated based on distance. Check amtrak.com for current prices.

Stations

From Chicago Union Station 2 mi, ~10m drive

To Springfield 31 mi, ~47m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 3 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 28m

4h 5m on road

Total Cost

$20

CO2

10 kg

Route

FlixBus 2510

Door-to-Door Timeline

Chicago, IL → Chicago Bus Station (CHD6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 245m

Arrival 10m

Springfield SMTD Transfer Center (SNG6) → Virginia, IL 48m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

Estimated based on distance. Check flixbus.com for current prices.

Stations

From CHD6 — Chicago Bus Station 2 mi, ~10m drive

To SNG6 — Springfield SMTD Transfer Center 32 mi, ~48m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/week

+ Usually the cheapest option

+ Wi-Fi and power outlets on board

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	4h 32m	3h 16m	4h 39m	5h 28m
Total cost (1 person)	$85	$182	$36	$20
Carbon footprint	92 kg CO₂	48 kg CO₂	10 kg CO₂	10 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	Data unavailable

Drive data: OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices

Flight data: Statistical estimate

Airports: OurAirports

Transit: Amtrak GTFS, FlixBus GTFS — fares estimated

Confidence: Medium — airports identified, fares estimated

Costs are estimates. Actual flight prices vary by airline, date, and booking time. Drive costs based on OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices. Computed Apr 17, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Chicago, IL to Virginia, IL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.